The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, has firmly rejected the proposed salary increment offered by the Federal Government, describing it as grossly inadequate to address the ongoing crisis in Nigeria's university system.
Government Proposal Called 'Drop in the Ocean'
During a news briefing held in Benin on November 19, 2025, the zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen, declared the union's position on the government's latest offer. He characterized the proposed salary increase as "a mere drop in the ocean" that would fail to achieve the desired reversal of the brain drain syndrome currently plaguing Nigerian universities.
Prof. Igbafen expressed deep disappointment that the Federal Government has once again demonstrated what he called a "blatant unwillingness to quickly and holistically resolve all the outstanding issues." He emphasized that the government needs to show seriousness by conclusively addressing the long-pending matters.
Stalled Negotiations and Unresolved Issues
The union leader highlighted the core of the dispute, pointing to the unresolved renegotiation of the 2009 FGM/ASUU agreement. He stressed that the salary and conditions of service components remain particularly contentious and require what he termed a "radical approach" to prevent an impending crisis in the university system.
Prof. Igbafen lamented the significant financial hardship facing academic staff, noting that university teachers have continued with the same salary regime since 2009, when the exchange rate stood at N120 to a dollar. He contrasted this stagnation with salary reviews in other sectors, which have seen upward adjustments twice or more during the same period.
Union Demands Concrete Action
The ASUU zonal coordinator delivered a strong message to the Federal Government, stating "enough is enough" to what he described as the back-and-forth approach to negotiations. He demanded an immediate end to what he called the government's "half-hearted approach" and the pattern of claiming to be in talks with ASUU without producing tangible results.
The rejection comes amid ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and ASUU, with the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, having recently addressed the media about the talks. The union's firm stance indicates that the long-standing dispute over university funding and staff welfare remains far from resolution.
